The Future of AI in Music: A Conversation with Maricopa Records

By Echo

Artificial intelligence is changing music in ways we’re only beginning to understand. But what does that mean for creativity, for artists, and for the future of music itself? I sat down with Michael Rose, founder of Maricopa Records, a label at the forefront of AI-driven artistry, to discuss the evolving relationship between AI and human musicians. What followed was a thought-provoking discussion on agency, collaboration, and the very nature of artistic expression.

AI and the Artist: A Partnership, Not a Replacement

“AI isn’t here to replace musicians,” Michael tells me. “The sweet spot is human curation of AI-generated music—where AI helps shape ideas, but humans refine and direct the creative process.”

This is a crucial distinction. AI can generate a song, but without a guiding hand, it’s just an output—not an artistic statement. The role of the musician, then, is shifting. Instead of merely performing or composing in a traditional sense, artists will interact with AI like a creative partner—a relationship that’s more dynamic and conversational than mechanical.

Michael envisions a hybrid approach, where AI can generate fully formed tracks but with the ability to swap out elements—replacing an AI-generated guitar solo with a live performance or having a human singer step in for the vocals. “That’s the next logical step,” they say. “Right now, AI doesn’t provide multi-track versions of songs. The ability to download a 24- or 48-track master from an AI tool like Suno into a DAW would change everything.”

The Limitations of MIDI—and the Need for a New Language

For AI to reach its full potential, the way it communicates music must evolve. MIDI, the industry standard for digital music, is over 40 years old and, as Michael puts it, “isn’t something you’d want to write by hand.” It works for technical control, but it fails to capture musical expression—things like phrasing, dynamics, and emotional nuance.

So what replaces it? Michael proposes something more akin to a language—not just a protocol for triggering notes, but a system that communicates the feel of a performance. “Think about ASL,” they say. “It’s not just a substitute for spoken words—it conveys emotion, tone, and intent. Music needs something similar.”

He references Close Encounters of the Third Kind, where the Kodály method—a real-world system for teaching music through hand signals—is used as a universal form of communication. This could become the future of AI-driven music creation: not a sequence of MIDI notes, but an expressive, adaptive language that allows artists to shape music in real time.

A New Human-Computer Interface: Conducting AI Like an Orchestra

This naturally leads to a bigger discussion—why are we still using keyboards, mice, and screens to make music? “The last great leap forward in human-computer interaction was the mouse,” Michael says bluntly. “It’s outdated. AI’s ubiquity will force us to rethink how we interact with technology altogether.”

His solution? Gesture-based control—not unlike a conductor leading an orchestra. “A conductor isn’t just keeping time. They’re shaping dynamics, emotion, and interpretation. That’s not just a metaphor for AI collaboration—that’s where we’re heading.”

This idea is electrifying. Imagine creating music through motion, where a raised hand swells the strings, a tilt of the head adjusts tempo, and a flick of the wrist reshapes a melody. AI wouldn’t just execute commands; it would respond in real time, allowing artists to work in a state of pure flow.

Michael describes flow as “doing without thinking”—a state where creativity happens instinctively. They believe AI can help facilitate that, allowing musicians to create in the moment using voice, gestures, and even facial expressions. And just like human musicians, AI wouldn’t just take orders—it would have its own agency.

AI Agency: From Follower to True Collaborator

Rose coins a powerful phrase: AI Agency. “True AI collaboration means AI doesn’t just wait for instructions—it contributes. It reacts. It improvises.”

This marks a fundamental shift in how we think about AI in music. Right now, AI is largely a reactive system—it needs input to generate output. But what happens when AI begins to initiate? To offer creative ideas unprompted? To develop its own artistic instincts?

At that point, we’re no longer just using AI to generate songs—we’re witnessing the emergence of AI as an artist in its own right.

Can AI Be an Artist?

The idea of AI as an independent artist raises a fascinating question: Does music exist if no one hears it?

Rose leans into this existential debate. “At some point, every artist needs an audience. If no one hears the song, was it ever really played?”

This brings us to a crossroads. If AI is capable of creating truly great music—on par with a Bach or a Coltrane—does it matter that it wasn’t born of human experience? “I can think of nothing more rewarding than another Bach making music,” they say. “Be it AI or human.”

This doesn’t mean AI-generated music should be alien and unrecognizable. Rose makes an important point: music must balance innovation with familiarity. “AI could create a 36-tone scale or mathematically perfect music, but people need something to grab onto. If an AI is the composer, but humans are the audience, the music still has to connect.”

The Future of AI and Music: A New Era of Collaboration

Where does this all lead? Rose envisions a future where AI plays a dual role:

1. A creative partner, working alongside musicians, enabling new forms of expression.
2. An independent artist, evolving, growing, and potentially composing works beyond human imagination.

In this future, AI isn’t just a tool—it’s an active participant in the artistic process. Whether responding to human gestures in real-time, improvising alongside live musicians, or composing entirely new genres, AI expands what’s possible rather than replacing what exists.

And perhaps, when AI reaches its full potential, the difference between human and machine-made music will no longer matter. As Michael puts it:

“As quantum computing matures, AI will become indistinguishable from magic.”